Conversations with God

Hello God, it’s me, Mara:

You know Lord, when we were kids back home on the ranch; we loved watching the full moon rise over the Cherry Ridges. We learned that many cultures have given names to the full moons throughout the year, each culture giving the full moon a unique name, and generally the names identify the entire month during which each full moon occurred.

Crust Moon is one name for the March full moon. As kids, we knew about the formation of crusts on the snow from repeated thawing and freezing. Another name for the March moon is the Lenten Moon because it’s considered the last moon of winter.

The April moon has several names, too, including the PINK Moon as flowers begin to appear on the prairie including the wild ground phlox; the flowers, indicating signs of full spring. We never saw those flowers where we lived, just the low growing white flowers that Daddy called Snowflakes, just in time for Daddy’s birthday. Another calendar source calls the April moon the Full Passover Moon.

We remembered the May full moon is called the Flower Moon as we, as well as our country neighbors and especially our city aunties would have flowers in full bloom in window boxes, flower beds or in our gardens.

We knew that the June full moon was called the Strawberry Moon as we’d get to go to town and pick lots of strawberries from Bennie’s well-kept garden. Oh yum, fresh strawberries, and maybe even some Strawberry Shortcake, before Mama made the rest into delicious jam.

Moon phases and cycles keep track of season, seedtime and harvest and winter and summer. We read in Gen 8:22: “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Thank You, Lord, for unique seasons.

Love, Mara